Fair preps students for future

(Press Staff Photo By C.P. Thompson)Silver High senior Aaron Escobar talks with WNMU ceramics Associate Professor Courtney Michaud, while retired Professor Claude Smith III works on the potters wheel during the Silver High School Career Fair on Tuesday. More than 30 organizations and businesses showed up to talk to students about career options after high school.

Silver High School hosted its Career Fair on Tuesday where more than 30 organizations and businesses talked to more than 400 students, from sophomores to seniors, about their future career options.

“There are some students who aren’t sure about what they want to do, but this gives them a little taste and might spark an interest,” said Saenz.

In addition to career options, the fair also featured colleges like New Mexico State University, Western Technical College and Dona Ana Community College, along with representatives from nine different departments at hometown Western New Mexico University. Staff from WNMU’s admissions, dual enrollment, School of Business, School of Nursing and Expressive Arts Department were on hand to talk to students.

“WNMU talked to me the most,” he said. “They told me the different programs with art. I had fun and I liked it a lot. There are different options for career paths after high school. This helps students who are unsure of what they want to do after high school.”

The Expressive Arts Department also had information on photography, painting, ceramics and sculpture.

Escobar said he plans to attend WNMU or NMSU, but is still deciding what his major will be.

Aside from universities, there were representatives from the U.S. Border Patrol, New Mexico State Police and the U.S. Army.

“I wish all high schools did this,” said Travis Centner, staff sergeant for the U.S. Army.

When students came up to his table, Centner would tell them about education benefits and the chance to travel the world, and said there are 150 job listings in the Army. Also, if students did push-ups, he rewarded them with a T-shirt.

Junior Kimberly Davis was one of those who visited the Army and New Mexico State Police tables. She said that it was good to get out of the classroom and talk with people from different professions. Davis said she hopes to enter the medical field.

Local businesses also had a presence at the Career Fair, from mining giant Freeport-McMoRan to construction company James Hamilton Construction, the U.S. National Park Service, the Silver City Fire Department and First New Mexico Bank. Freeport brought welding and electric simulators for students to try out.

“It is all about presenting these opportunities to students,” said Silver High Principal Victor Oaxaca.